Return steam-trap.



H. V. PEARCE, RETURN STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED IEB.10,1908

902,321 I Patented 0ct .27,1908

WITNESSES. INVENTOR. fiM v W, CQLM Attorneys.

HUBERT V. PEARCE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RETURN STEAM-TRAP.

Application filed February 10, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HUBERT V. PEARCE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented acertain new and useful Imrovement in Return SteamTraps, and declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to makeand use the same, reference eing had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of this specification.

This invention relates to traps adapted to collect water of condensationin a system of steam heating, and periodically return such water ofcondensation to the boiler in which the steam was originally-produced.Where steam is used for heating large plants, such as greenhouses, andother similar structures, in which there is a large amount of radiatingsurface, and in which the water of condensation gets quite cold, thereturn of the condensed water to the boiler is accomplished only bymeans of some special mechanism, which can equalize the pressure of thesteam in the boiler against which the water enters, and the pressurewhich forces the water to enter the boiler, and the object of this invention is to produce a structure in which such condensed water isaccumulated at a level higher than that of the boiler, and whileaccumulating is not subject to the back pressure from the boiler, orpressure coming from the boiler through the piping, through which thewater itself must be forced into the boiler. After the water has beencollected in the receptacle at a higher level than the boiler, theboiler pressure is brought into action on both the boiler side of thereceptacle and what must be called the water side, or radiating side,and the equalized steam pressure enables the water collected in thereceptacle to flow into the boiler by gravity, and the object of thisinvention is to produce a device in which this operation may be carriedon automatically and continuously, so long as the steam is generated inthe boiler.

In the drawings :-Figure 1, is a side elevation showing the device. Fig.2, is an end elevation showing in dotted lines the in cluded pipes andcheck valves. Fig. 3, shows the relief valve.

1 is a tank into which leads an inflow pipe 2, and out of which leads anoutflow pipe 3. The pipe 2 generally leads from a well or tank intowhich the water of condensation Specification of Letters Patent.

erally about Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Serial No. 415,102.

runs by gravity from the system of piping, in which the steam condenses.The well is closed, and the water therein is under pressure sufficientto drive it up from the well into the tank 1. The inflow pipe 2 and theoutflow pipe 3 are branches from a single standard pipe 4, that leadsinto the bottom of the tank 1. Mechanically the pipe 4 is a merecontinuation of the tank 1. A small conduit pipe 5 located within thepipe 4, projects above the top of the pipe 4, and part way across thetank 1 to the level to Which it is desired to have the water accumulatein the tank before it is driven into the boiler. Genone-half ortwo-thirds of the tank is devoted to the accumulation of water, andone-third to one-half is used as a steam space, as will be hereinafterexplained. The pipe 5 leads with suitable connections through the pipe4, and extends as the pipe 5 to a small gravity tank 6 located insuitable relation to the tank 1, and to the steam valve 7 next to bereferred to. Near the point where the pipe 5 emerges from the pipe 4 andexternal to the pipe 4, is a flexible sec tion 5*, adapted to bendslightly and easily. To the upper side of the tank 1 is a steam inlet 8controlled by a balanced valve 7, which is adapted to be actuated by alever arm 7*. The lever arm 7 a is connected by a link 9 to a shortlever 10 pivotally supported above the tank 6. The lever arm 10 controlsa small relief valve 11, which closes when the free arm 10' of the lever10 rises, and opens, when the free arm 10 is pushed downward relativelyto its fulcrum by any means. The tank 6 is counter weighted by a counterweight 12 on the long arm of a lever 12 supported on a bracket 13 fromthe end of the tank 1. The short arm of the lever 12 is connected by alink to the lever 10, or to the link 9 at or near its point of junctionwith the lever 10. The pipe 5 leads into the tank 6 on its under side,and is provided with an upturned end 5 that extends nearly to the upperside of the tank 6. A discharge pipe 14 for water from the tank 6 leadspast flexible section 14 through a small section of pipe 15, into thepipe 2. The chamber in pipe 4 does not communicate with the duct in pipe14; the two parts are mechanically held together by short coupling 4.Between the mouth of the pipe 15 as it enters the pipe 2 and theupturned branch 4, is a check valve 2 which prevents the backward flowof any water that may have once entered the tank,

prevent the backward flow when steam under pressure enters the tank 6,as will be explained. The water of condensation in the system of pipingis under suflicient pressure to lift it into the tank 1, and as itaccumulates in the well, it is transferred into the tank until the tank1 becomes filled to the top of the small pipe 5. When filled to thispoint, a portion of the water passes down through a small pipe 5, andthrough the pipe 5 into the small tank 6, and accumulates in the tank 6until the weight becomes sufficient to cause the tank 6 to fall againstthe counter weight 12, and the counterweight 7 During the time that thetank 6 was still unfilled with water, the tank, lifted by the counterweights, has caused the arm 10 of the lever 10 to engage against theunderside of the tank 1, and free the small relief valve 11, so that theair contained in the tank 6 can freely escape therefrom, and ofier noobstruction to the free entrance of water thereinto.

As soon as the tank 6 falls, the lever arm 10 rises, and the reliefvalve closes, and the tank is now closed, and will remain closed untilsteam shall have entered it and driven the water out of it, lightenedit, and permitted action of the weights to lift it to its originalplace. As the small tank 6 falls, it pulls down the arm 7", and opensthe balanced valve 7 admitting steam into the tank 1 from the pipe 8 andthrough the pipe 8. The mouth of the pipe 8 is directed downward againstthe surface of the water, and the first steam entering is driven withsome force into the water, and becomes condensed, and the steam does notat once act to drive the water from the tank, but acts only after theincoming steam shall have raised the temperature of the water in thetank to an extent sulficiently not to condense the steam and de stroythe pressure of it to such an extent as to prevent its driving actionon' the body of water in the tank. The water is thus warmed to atemperature to make its admission into the boiler unobjectionable, andhaving become warm, the steam now accumulates over its surface withpressure, and drives it through the pipe 4, and the pipe 3 into theboiler. In the pipe 8 is inserted a proper check valve 3 to prevent theback action of the steam from the boiler, or back action of water fromthe boiler into the tank. The steam having driven the water out of thetank 1, acts also to drive the water out of the tank 6 into which itenters through the pipe 5, and the pipe 5 and drives the water from thetank 6 back into the system of piping, whence it is driven soon by theforce of the steam in the system into the tank 1. The relief valve 11acts automatically if the passage to it is free. The passage to it iscontrolled by a hand actuated valve 17, which regulates the amount ofescape through the relief valve, or closes it entirely if it be desiredto close it. So long as the lever 10 is free and there is any steampressure in tank 6, the relief valve will permit steam to escape fromsaid tank, but so soon as pressure in tank 1 drops to atmosphericpressure, the relief valve 11 seats and prevents air from entering thetank. Generally after tank 6 empties there is a partial vacuum formedtherein by the condensation of steam in this tank and in tank 1, andboth tanks are in condition to offer no resistance to the free entranceof water.

What I claim is 1. A water trap having in combination a main tankprovided with a water inlet, a water outlet and a steam inlet, a movabletank connected with the main tank by a conduit aving a flexible sectiontherein, and with the water inlet pipe by a conduit having a flexiblesection therein, the first mentioned conduit having a terminal locatedwithin and near the top of the main tank and a second terminal locatedwithin and near the top of the movable tank, whereby the movable tanksecures a supply of water from the already filled main tank, a valvecontrolling the steam inlet, a lever adapted to actuate said valveconnections between the lever and the movable tank, substantially asdescribed.

2. A water trap having in combination a main tank provided with a waterinlet, a water outlet and a steam inlet, a movable tank, a conduit foradmitting water into said movable tank having one terminal locatedwithin and near the to of the main tank and one terminal located withinand near the top of the movable tank, a conduit for discharging Waterfrom said movable tank having its discharge terminal opening with themain inlet pipe, a check valve in said discharge conduit, a steam valve,a controlling lever adapted to actuate said valve, connections betweenthe lever and the movable tank whereby the descent of the movable tankopens said valve, a relief valve to said movable tank, a lever adaptedto open said valve contemporaneously with the rising of said movabletank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

HUBE RT V. PEARCE.

Witnesses ALECIA TOWNSEND, VIRGINIA O. SPRATT.

